Our School Team

Jessica Baker was born and raised in North London. She completed her degree in English Literature with Theatre Studies at the University of Leeds, graduating in 2021. Knowing she wanted to work in education, Jessica joined a Montessori school the following September, initially in the office before moving into the classroom. After one year, she fell in love with the method and decided to embark upon the AMI 3 to 6 Diploma (2-year evening course) Course at the MMI, alongside her full-time role at the school. Jessica completed the Diploma Course in 2024 and became the Lead Teacher of the Children’s House Class at the school. She is very excited to deepen her understanding of the child in a Lower Elementary classroom, particularly after attending the AMI 6 to 12 Orientation Course. Jessica loves reading and enjoys sharing this passion for literature with the children.

Dhira was born and raised in Calcutta, India. After graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Animation and Filmmaking, she spent over eight years working in the Indian film and TV industry (Bollywood) as an assistant director. Working with children on film sets became one of her favourite parts of the job—she loved their energy and authentic expression. Her lifelong love for painting led her to new avenues, and in 2020, she decided to pursue a Master's in Fine Arts and Humanities at the University of Dundee. A chance invitation to the AMI AGM in Delft led Dhira to the beautiful world of Montessori. After completing her AMI 3 to 6 Diploma Course at the Maria Montessori Institute, London in 2025, she's thrilled to begin this journey of discovery alongside the children at the Maria Montessori School. With her diverse heritage and multilingual background, she's excited to share the stories, poems, and songs that have shaped her life.

Michael Gately is an experienced educator from New York City who has taught at Brooklyn Heights Montessori School since 2014. In his role as a teacher, advisor, and coach, Michael has led the Upper Elementary programme (9-12 year olds) in all subject areas, and worked as a mathematics and science teacher in the Middle School programme (12-14 year olds). In addition to the core subjects, Michael led cooking with the students and coached the middle school basketball and volleyball teams. Outside of school hours, Michael works as a tutor for secondary students, helping to build their confidence and competence with standardized tests, such as the SATs.

Michael received a bachelor's degree in economics from Columbia College, a master's degree in mathematics education from Columbia University, and the Elementary I-II credentials from the American Montessori Society. He is a lifelong learner and committed to ongoing professional development, regularly attending workshops like the Hochman Method for Teaching Writing, Singapore mathematics training, and Positive Discipline training to name a few.

Charlotte Mintz grew up in North London and was a Montessori Child for her Children’s House and Elementary years. She attended a Children’s House in Highgate and then Rainbow Montessori School in West Hampstead. After graduating University with a degree in Art History and English Literature, Charlotte spent a year travelling around Australia where she worked with Aboriginal families for a Sydney based charity, sparking her interest in child development. She worked in Arts Education initially, and then later enrolled in and completed the AMI 3 to 6 Diploma Course at the Maria Montessori Institute in London. Charlotte taught in a Children’s House in Central London following the course, however, knowing she wanted to teach in Elementary, she enrolled in the AMI 6 to 12 Diploma Course in Bergamo, Italy in September 2025. Charlotte will complete the Elementary Course at the end of June and is very excited to return to London and join the MMI Lower Elementary Team, putting into practice all she has learned. She looks forward to meeting the children in July and joining the Elementary Community in September.

Edgar Romero Rahal was born and raised just outside Barcelona and became interested in science and technology at a very young age. At 17 years of age, he moved to the UK so he could study Aerospace Engineering in an English-speaking country. He obtained his Master of Engineering (Meng) from the University of Surrey in 2019 and later enrolled in an Engineering PhD programme at the University of Bath which he will complete in August 2025.

In parallel to his research, Edgar devoted hundreds of hours to teaching undergraduate labs, by which he experienced his years-long interest in education turn into a passion. Upon learning about Montessori education for adolescents, he completed the 12-18 AMI Orientation Course and decided to become a Montessori Teacher.
Being a strong believer in personal development, he is eager to pursue his AMI Adolescent Diploma.

Edgar is excited to share his STEM background with the students, but he is also a huge proponent of developing transferable skills and learning in a multi-disciplinary manner. His goal is to bring his sense of curiosity and creativity to the classroom and help students reach their maximum academic and personal potential.

Edgar plays several instruments and loves writing and recording songs. He also loves travelling and learning history from as close to the source as possible, and he is always up for a game of football or basketball.

Yafeng Tang was born and raised in China, before relocating to London with her family. She has a Masters Degree in International Education and a Post-graduate Diploma in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. Yafeng completed the AMI 3 to 6 Diploma Course and AMI 0 to 3 Diploma Course at the Maria Montessori Institute in London. Following her training, Yafeng led an Infant Community at a local Montessori School for two years. Yafeng has worked with children in a variety of capacities in China and England as a tutor or a Teaching Assistant. Yafeng is currently also working on her AMI 6 to 12 Diploma. She loves to cook and learn about different languages. She is enthusiastic about arts and crafts, music, and drama, and she is eager to share cross culture knowledge with the children.

Paola joined the Maria Montessori Institute as the Elementary and Adolescent Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo), bringing over twenty years of experience supporting children, families, and educators through personalised approaches, tailored to a wide range of learning differences. A passionate advocate for inclusive education, Paola’s academic and professional journey has been deeply influenced by the principles of Maria Montessori. Her research has focused on demonstrating that Montessori pedagogy is inherently inclusive and uniquely suited to children—and adults—with emerging needs and disabilities. She holds Level 3 qualifications in Maternity Nursing and Childcare and Education, Level 5 qualifications in Early Years Lead Practice and Leadership and Management for Youth and Adult Care Services, a BSc (Hons) in Social Science and Anthropology, and a Master Level Diploma in Special Educational Needs. In addition, Paola has completed professional development in Montessori Pedagogy and SEN, Speech and Language Development, Sensory Processing, and holds a Level 4 Makaton qualification—a communication system designed for individuals who are non-verbal. Outside of her professional commitments, Paola serves on the board of NEURO-GEMS, a think tank that champions neurodiversity by advancing inclusive scientific research, advocating for equitable rights, fostering education, and promoting systemic and societal change.

Isabella was raised in Bath and went on to study Drama at Bristol University before training as a theatre director at Birkbeck University in London. She first worked with children when she directed James and the Giant Peach in Kalimpong, India with a group of 50 Primary aged children. Isabella went on to lead a series of educational workshops to local children at the Glasgow Citizens Theatre and Intermission Youth Charity in Knightsbridge which helped her realise her interest in working in education. Most recently, Isabella designed the children’s events program at The Arts Club in Mayfair which emphasised ‘connection through creativity and enrichment.' Isabella is delighted to be given the chance to apply these skills in an educational setting, where she can help foster the growth of young minds.

Isabella plans to enrol in the AMI 6-12 Diploma course at the Maria Montessori Institute and expressed a keen interest in working in the classroom with the children whilst participating in the 6 to 12 training.